Consulting firm claims Windows Phone the least usable mobile OS

Pfeiffer Consulting has performed as assessment of current smartphone operating’s, systems, including iOS7, iOS6, Samsung’s version of Android, Blackberry 10 and Windows Phone 8, and surprisingly, given the large number of user satisfaction surveys which place Windows Phone on top, they found the operating system the least usable of all.

The OS won some points for having a low cognitive load, ie how confusing the operating system is on first use, but lost major points for low customizability, which includes the ability to solve niggling issues.

They complain:

Microsoft deserves credit for designing a highly original mobile operating system that does not imitate the market leaders and boldly goes its own way. That would be great — if the OS actually delivered all the user experience aspects that users around the world have come to expect. The truth is that under the slick veneer of swivelling tiles is an operating system that is challenging to use. One can feel trapped in the rigid user interface that leaves no room for customization, and user interface in general is not conceived to deal efficiently with the dozens and dozens of apps smartphone users want. Add to that the lack of some core user interface features and you get an idea of Microsoft’s challenges to make Windows Phone truly competitive."

They concluded:

In its current state, Windows Phone 8 is a strange mixture of slick, original design-and a surprising disregard for key usability, not to mention the lack of some key user experience features such as customization options, pervasive notifications, or quick access to key settings. It is highly likely that some ofthese features will pop upin future software upgrades, but as of today, WindowsPhone 8 is not very competitive in terms ofoverall user experience.